Author

Ken Coleman

Ken Coleman

Ken Coleman writes about Southeast Michigan, history and civil rights. He is a former Michigan Chronicle senior editor and served as the American Black Journal segment host on Detroit Public Television. He has written and published four books on Black life in Detroit.

Casino and Blue Cross labor strikes stretch on in Detroit 

By: - November 11, 2023

Detroit casino workers are continuing their strike against three operators, hopeful that they’ll be able to secure a big win like the UAW has in tentative deals with domestic automakers. It’s day 26 for the strike.  On Oct. 17, unionized casino workers at MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, and Hollywood Casino at Greektown launched a […]

On this day in 1963: Malcolm X talks Black voting rights in Detroit 

By: - November 10, 2023

On Nov. 10, 1963, African-American political activist and religious leader Malcolm X delivered his seminal “Message to the Grassroots” speech at King Solomon Baptist Church located on Detroit’s westside.  At the time, Malcolm X was a leading official of Nation of Islam, a Black American sect of the Muslim religion, which operated within a Black […]

Biden talks with former college athletes about player safety and ‘fair treatment’

By: - November 9, 2023

President Joe Biden on Wednesday attended a White House meeting with former college football players and advocates. There, he heard about some of the challenges college football players and other college athletes face.  Biden told the group that he believes that athletes should be able to receive long-term health care for injuries suffered while playing […]

Tlaib stands by her defense of Palestinian slogan, ‘From the river to the sea’  

By: - November 6, 2023

Updated, 8:50 a.m., 11/7/23 After several Michigan Democratic leaders criticized U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) for her controversial Friday post on X about a Palestinian slogan amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants offered a response to the Advance.  “From the river to the sea is an aspirational call […]

At Green New Deal for Michigan rally, activists call for more climate change policies, funding

By: - November 6, 2023

During a spirited rally Sunday in Dearborn, activists and elected officials called for stronger state and federal policies centered on Green New Deal concepts.  The demonstration was held after a marathon Michigan House on Thursday that spilled into Friday, during which the Democratic-controlled Michigan House moved forward on their clean energy package. That’s one of […]

Here’s where the UAW strike against Detroit Three stands

By: - November 4, 2023

Some United Auto Workers (UAW) affected by the nearly seven-week strike against the Detroit Three automakers have begun the voting process to sound off on the set of tentative agreements with Ford Motor Co., Stellantis and General Motors. The highlights of the tentative agreements include a 25% wage increase through April 2028 and an end […]

UAW reaches tentative pact with General Motors, the last Detroit Three holdout

By: and - October 30, 2023

The United Auto Workers on Monday reached a tentative contract agreement with General Motors on day 46 of the strike. The announcement follows previous UAW tentative pacts with the other Detroit Three automakers, Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis, which were announced on Wednesday and Saturday, respectively. The union went on strike on Sept.15. “Once again, […]

UAW leader Fain on tentative deal with Ford: ‘I see power’ 

By: - October 30, 2023

UAW President Shawn Fain on Sunday outlined his union’s tentative contract settlement with Ford Motor Co. during a 25-minute Facebook live address. He was joined by Chuck Browning, the union’s vice president who headed negotiations with Ford.  “There was a time when it was hard to wear this wheel,” said Fain as he pointed to […]

UAW announces tentative deal with Stellantis, expands strike against GM

By: - October 29, 2023

The United Auto Workers (UAW) announced Saturday that it has reached a tentative agreement to end the 44-day strike against Stellantis, following a similar deal with Ford earlier in the week.   “On Day 44 of our Stand Up Strike, I am honored to announce that our union is again victorious. Once again we’ve achieved just […]

After UAW’s tentative deal with Ford, other striking workers are ‘cautiously optimistic’

By: - October 27, 2023

As the overnight rain blew over metro Detroit during the wee hours of Friday morning and was followed by a bright orange sunrise, some striking United Auto Workers (UAW) members seemed hopeful that their strike against the Detroit Three automakers — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — would end soon.  Tom Michilak, a nine-year employee […]

‘We won things nobody thought possible’: UAW reaches tentative deal with Ford

By: - October 26, 2023

The United Auto Workers (UAW) said on Wednesday night that the union has a potential deal with Ford Motor Co. to end the strike against the automaker after 41 days on strike against the Detroit Three — which also includes General Motors and Stellantis.  The agreement includes a 25% wage increase over 4.5 years, starting […]

A day after striking at Sterling Heights Stellantis plant, UAW expands to Arlington GM site 

By: - October 24, 2023

As an escalating workers’ strike heads toward its sixth week, about 5,000 union members at General Motors’ Arlington Assembly in Texas on Tuesday joined the United Auto Workers (UAW) walkout against the Detroit Three.  The UAW described the action as an effort against “General Motors’ largest plant and biggest moneymaker.” Workers there build the Chevrolet […]